French Painting 1874-1886

The Glyptotek houses a significant collection of works by the artists in and around the “Impressionist movement”, with masterpieces by Monet, Degas and Pissarro.

This collection owes its existence primarily to Helge Jacobsen, who took over its direction from the founder of the museum, his father, Carl Jacobsen, in 1914. French Impressionism is an important part of the developmental history of painting, towards an individual, sensuous expression. The Impressionists were a loosely associated group of artists who were united in their desire to change the practical and aesthetic terms of painting.

Like the authors of the period, Baudelaire, Flaubert and Zola, they wanted to show contemporary life and culture rather than historical or mythological subjects. They were the first artists to exhibit independently of the official Paris Salon. The Glyptotek displays a wide range of major works, from Monet’s atmospheric landscapes to Degas’ dancing girls – and the bustle of Parisian boulevards in the work of Pissarro and Renoir.